Improved functionalization of oleic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can providemultiple benefits for biomedical applications in aqueous environments such asmagnetic separation or magnetic resonance imaging. To increase the colloidal stability and allow subsequent reactions, the introduction of hydrophilic functional groups onto the particles’ surface is essential. During this process, the original coating is exchanged by preferably covalently bonded ligands such as trialkoxysilanes. The duration of the silane exchange reaction, which commonly takes more than 24 h, is an important drawback for this approach. In this paper, we present a novel method, which introduces ultrasonication as an energy source to dramatically accelerate this process, resulting in high-quality waterdispersible nanoparticles around 10 nmin size. To prove the generic character, different functional groups were introduced on the surface including polyethylene glycol chains, carboxylic acid, amine, and thiol groups. Their colloidal stability in various aqueous buffer solutions as well as human plasma and serum was investigated to allow implementation in biomedical and sensing applications.status: publishe

Daily activities mediate the relationship between personality and quality of life in middle-aged women.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to test a model proposing that the relationship between personality factors and women's quality of life (QoL) is mediated by degree of depression and the way in which every day activity and general health were appraised. Specifically, the paper addressed the mediating contribution of activity. METHODS: A sample of 488 women, 38 or 50 years old, filled out questionnaires regarding the target variables. The personality traits measured were extraversion and neuroticism, and the activity aspect addressed was the value linked with everyday activities. Additionally, general health and depressive state was rated. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A model was found where health, activity and depressive state mediated the association between personality and QoL. Health explained in total nearly 30% of the variation in QoL. Activity predicted 12% of the variance in QoL, partly as a unique factor and partly mediated by depressive state and health. Extraversion was linked to QoL only through activity, and neuroticism through depressive state and health. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis supported that there was a link between personality and QoL and that perceived general health was an important contributor to QoL. Moreover, it contributed new knowledge regarding the importance of valued and satisfying activities. If this proves to be a consistent finding in future studies, including intervention research, monitoring women's daily activities might be a pathway to improved QoL

Assessment of dependence in daily activities combined with a self-rating of difficulty.

OBJECTIVE: To study the information gained by extending a well-established instrument of dependence/independence in activities of daily living with a self-rating of difficulty, and to illustrate the relevance and usefulness of this combined approach with cross-national data. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Cross-sectional survey study data collected with 1918 very old persons in 5 European countries. METHODS: The "ADL staircase assessment" of dependence/independence, extended with a self-rating of difficulty, was administered at home visits. Data distribution in the 5 national samples and analyses with or without use of the self-rating data were carried out. RESULTS: High proportions of the subjects were independent in most of the activities assessed, while substantial proportions reported difficulties. Considerable differences were identified among the national samples. In personal activities of daily living, those assessed as independent varied from 87% to 100%, while the proportion of those who rated themselves as "independent without difficulty" ranged from 53% to 98%. In instrumental activities, 33-91% were assessed as independent, while the proportions of "independent without difficulty" ranged from 24% to 77%. Analysis results differed as to whether or not self-ratings of difficulty were used. CONCLUSION: The combined approach to data collection gave a diversified, information-rich picture. The assessment used is easy to administer and can be used in practice contexts in different countries

Achieving balance in everyday life: Insights from women with stress-related disorders.

There is growing interest in developing a conceptual understanding of the experience of balance in everyday life, from an occupational perspective. The purpose of this study was to gain insights about balance in the everyday lives of women with stress-related disorders. Data were gathered from 19 women who were past the first phase of recovery from a stress-related disorder and participated in one of five focus groups. Analysis revealed that the participants experienced a continuum between imbalance and balance in everyday life. The themes that emerged were image of occupational self, strategies to manage and control everyday life, occupational repertoire, and occupational experience. Balance in everyday life was achieved through a dynamic interaction between these themes, which the women characterised as respecting their own values, needs, and resources; having strategies to manage and control everyday life; having a harmonious occupational repertoire; and engaging in personally meaningful occupation. Engagement in personally meaningful occupation appears to be a mechanism that enables people to achieve balance in everyday life by enabling them to develop a successful occupational selfimage, manageability, control, and a harmonious occupational repertoire. Well-being seems to be the outcome of balance in everyday life, and lack of balance is experienced as overload

Engagement in patterns of daily occupations and perceived health among women of working age.

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to examine how subjective experiences of engagement in patterns of daily occupations (gainful employment, domestic work, enjoyable and recreational occupations) were associated with perceived health among women of working age. The sample (n=488) was drawn from a longitudinal cohort study of women of working age in Gothenburg, Sweden. Participants were women 38 (n=202) and 50 (n=286) years of age. They completed a questionnaire including questions about occupational experiences in relation to their patterns of daily occupations, perceived health, and socioeconomic factors. The results of the present study showed that a combination of different experience dimensions of patterns of daily occupations was associated with perceived health among women of working age, even when adjusted for socioeconomic factors and age. The results provided occupational pattern-related health indicators, i.e. manageability, personally meaningful occupations, and occupational balance. To combine these health indicators can be a way for occupational therapists to enable women to develop strategies to promote health and to prevent stress and sick leave

A client-centred ADL intervention : three-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

Objective: The aim was to study a client-centred activities of daily living (ADL) intervention (CADL) compared with the usualADL intervention (UADL) in people with stroke regarding: independence in ADL, perceived participation, life satisfaction,use of home-help service, and satisfaction with training and, in their significant others, regarding: caregiver burden, lifesatisfaction, and informal care. Methods: In this multicentre study, 16 rehabilitation units were randomly assigned to deliverCADL or UADL. The occupational therapists who provided the CADL were specifically trained. Eligible for inclusion werepeople with stroke treated in a stroke unit £3 months after stroke, dependent in ‡two ADL, not diagnosed with dementia, andable to understand instructions. Data were collected at inclusion and three months thereafter. To detect a significant differencebetween the groups in the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) domain “participation”, 280 participants were required. Intention-totreatanalysis was applied. Results: At three months, there was no difference in the outcomes between the CADL group(n = 129) and the UADL group (n = 151), or their significant others (n = 87/n = 93) except in the SIS domain “emotion” infavour of CADL (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The CADL does not appear to bring about short-term differences in outcomes andlonger follow-ups are required